02. Floral Design Shapes & Styles

Flower arrangements will vary greatly based on the shape and style of the design. To make sure you are ordering exactly what you intended, we created this visual guide to assist you! Here we will breakdown many popular bouquet shapes and styles, but please note that this is not comprehensive list. One of our favorite parts about the floral design industry is that it's constantly evolving. Many times, a design can even be combination of more than one style.

360°/All-Around

A 360° design is one where the flowers are arranged all the way around the container, so that it can be enjoyed from any angle! (We know you know that already, but we just wanted to show you this particularly beautiful example.)

Front Facing/One-Sided

Front-facing/one-sided designs are typically used for instances where the arrangement will be placed against a wall or structure. We see these used a lot for many ceremony-type events. From weddings to funerals to banquets, or anytime when the focus may be at the front of the room, it only makes sense that the flowers face the audience!

Low, Lush, & Compact

Low and compact designs are best described as tight groupings of blooms typically arranged in a shorter and wider container than a classic flower vase. These designs are perfect for places like coffee tables in a living area or hotel lobby. The height of one won't create an obstacle when trying to have a conversation with someone sitting opposite you, and their usual short & wide stature makes it less susceptible to tipping in high traffic areas.

Tall, Flowy & Wild

Tall & flowy designs are distinguised from other styles by their mixed greenery. The foliage is intended to sprawl out of the design, mimicking an unruly garden or natural meadow.

Minimalist

A minimalist design will get you a lot of impact for what it lacks in certain variety. These designs typically use sleek lines and nontraditional floral shapes. They are also a great opportunity to showcase a unique vase or container you may own, as the blooms don't always have to be the star of the show!

Wrapped Bouquet

This is a standard wrapped bouquet. It can be literally anything and everything. You can get them with just flowers, just greenery, or a mixture of both.

Presentation Wrapped Bouquet

A presentation wrapped bouquet differs from a standard wrapped bouquet in one key way: it is designed to have a front side so it can be held with one arm instead of two hands! Like how there are front-facing vase arrangements, presentation wraps are the vase-less kind of those. To help you visualize the purpose, imagine someone winning a pageant and cradling the flowers in one arm so they can wave with the other arm. The one-sided design shows off every stem in the bouquet! That's why this is our go-to for graduates, dancers, pageants, and even some brides!

Table Centerpiece

Though nearly all arrangements can be used as a table centerpiece, an arrangement designed specifically as a table centerpiece will look much different than many people may imagine. They are usually had a low orientation and sprawling shape. Most of the time, the "vase" is not intended to be seen. These centerpieces are meant to be placed in the middle of a table where meals and conversation can be held without the design being too obstrusive. No one wants to have to move the flowers out of the way to talk to the person on the other side of the table!

Abstract/Assymetric

An assymmetric or abstract design may not have a shape or particular design style. It may be unique to the container, or unique to the recipient. When someone orders a design like this through us, they almost always use the terms "something weird," "totally different," or "creative but unique." And we love to hear it! Your trust in our skill and challenge to our creativity is the greatest gift you could give a floral designer. What you end up getting will differ by the day and the designer, so if you like surprises, this is the way to go.

Organic

Organically-shaped designs are meant to look like some pieces were foraged and cut in the woods and stuck into a container without a second thought... except it actually does take a lot of thought! Organic designs may not always look like this one, but there will usually be some sort of natural element to it to make it seem like it came less from a flower shop and more your backyard. It should look intentional, unintentionally. It's basically the "no-makeup makeup" of floral design.

Statement Blooms

Statement bloom designs are where a certain flower is the star of the show. If you want Free Spirit orange roses, you'll get Free Spirit orange roses. If you want mixed gerbera daisies, you'll get mixed gerbera daisies. If you want a combination of peonies and tulips, that's what you'll get. Whatever it is that your heart desires, we will make it the focus of the arrangement. It is usually paired with a small blooming accent and simple foliage, as to not distract from the beauty of your statement blooms.

We hope this guide, combined with our Ordering by Color Palette article makes YOU the expert during your next flower ordering experience!

Keep Blooming,

Victoria's Garden